Code Geass R3: Knight of Thirteen
by Alice Kim
Summary: About a year after the Black Rebellion, Lelouch proves to be alive. He returns to the school to delete his existence, only to get caught by students! Suzaku also returns and as they hate each other even more, a strange girl, Cincere, watches them amused.
1. Counterattack One: Return

**Epilogue**

"Zero, there are about ten more terrorists that have escaped!" The lieutenant reported.

"Great," He muttered. "Get me the general."

"Yes sir!"

Zero. The masked man who was once the rebel of the Elevens Japanese. He was the one everyone who had looked up to. Until he had fallen.

But he returned to bring justice. That was what he symbolized. But I know who Zero really is. Or should I say _"was"._ Zero was Suzaku Kururugi, the son of the Prime Minister Kururugi. But he _was _that. Such a son has died. Forever shall he remain as Zero, his enemy, best friend, and new life. The first Zero was the one who created him. Lelouch vi Britannia, the 17th in line to the throne. But the prince had abolished his title and later on, destroyed the Britannian Empire to create it anew as the 99th emperor. That is what he was born for.

"I destroy worlds…and create them anew."

Is he supposed to b

e dead? Technically speaking, yes. But the people have called for him once more, for Suzaku is failing in his role.

**Counterattack One**

**-Return-**

March 31, 2019

"Ashford Academy…it's been quite a while."

"Only a year, mind you! Lelouch, we really shouldn't be doing this! It's too soon!"

"Calm yourself, C.C. I'll manage."

"The Geass won't do much! There are too many students here and who knows? They still might have the cameras back from Rolo's day watching!" C.C. exclaimed.

"C.C., I left something of too much value in that school, and if anyone finds it, the people will riot. All that work will be wilted!" Lelouch insisted.

"Didn't I tell you NOT to keep diaries?!" She hissed.

"The records!" Lelouch hissed back. "When Rolo was still alive, they kept record of everything I did, all the way back to the beginning of the Black Rebellion! Back before the Order of the Black Knights!"

"…_go, get it, and get back._" She scowled. "_No wandering, no peeking inside classrooms, no looking for old classmates, NOTHING._"

"I'm not stupid, C.C." he stepped into the gates of his old school.

Lelouch tried to walk as casually as possible to gain no attention, but try looking causal when you aren't supposed to be there. Although it was after school, some kids stayed back to for clubs or for make-up classes. They all wore the school uniform, and Lelouch was the only one not wearing one. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

He made it to the basement of the school and tried hacking into the underground system, where the records he wanted lay.

Of course, he managed it perfectly, but he had to grab it and go since the alarm started blaring. Try looking for files that would take hours to hack onto and destroy. Lelouch barely made it when the Student Council came rushing in.

Well, besides his old friend, Rivalz, the rest of the members were new to him. But to these kids, his face was too familiar.

"L-Lelouch vi Britannia?!?"

"Crap," he thought. He took off his contact lenses and looked straight at them. "Forget about me."

"But-" one of the girls was cut off. His Geass had gotten to all of them.

All but one.

"Why should we forget?! You tyrant!" One of the girls screamed.

Lelouch gaped. Why hadn't his Geass worked on her?

"I can't believe you! Tyrant! Dictator!" She called. She ran for the phone.

He remembered. On the council president, Millay's birthday, she had created the "Love Day" game. One of the girls had caught his hat which meant that they were officially known as a couple in the school. He had used his Geass on her to make her give his hat back. And his Geass only worked once per person.

"Ah, wait!" He exclaimed. "I'm not Lelouch!"

"Yes you are! You look exactly like him!" She yelled as the other members began to walk away. "Guys! What are you doing?!"

"Calm down ok?! I just came here to get something important! Then I wanted to register here as a student!" He grabbed the phone from her hands.

"What's so important that you had to break in here?! You aren't even supposed to know the place if it's new to you!"

"My brother used to go to this school and we used to hang out here a lot, but now…" Lelouch didn't want to answer. He let the phone she was battling for go.

"But what?" She asked, breathing hard.

"He's dead."

"…"

A silence fell upon them. So Lelouch broke it.

"I left a picture of him here and…I wanted to register here to see what it was like…" He muttered.

"Oh…I-I'm sorry…" She put the phone back on the table. "Well then…umm, welcome to Ashford Academy. I'm Lucinda. After you get you photo, come to the front desk. You can't miss it."

"Alright. And thanks for hearing me out. A lot of people chase after me because they think I'm Lelouch."

"You aren't the nasty emperor, are you?"

"No!"

"Sorry, it's just that…you really resemble Lelouch vi Britannia. So…what's your name then?"

"You're going to scream, but its Lelouch Lightenrouge."

"Wow…you have a lot of resemblance to him…and that was before you were even born." Lucinda remarked.

"I know. I feel like I was destined to be hated or something."

"Ah, well then…see ya…" She went to the door.

"Right…"

~코드기야스~

"Hey guys, how's it going?"

"Not bad. We caught 4 of the 10 terrorists that wanted to destroy Britannia, despite its gentle ruling and ruler." Hoshida reported to his friend.

"Heh? Only four?! Zero should've caught all of them at once with his intelligence!"

"Yeah, I was thinking of that too, Yamada."

"…Hoshida, I know we aren't the Black Knights anymore. And we don't have Zero as out commander anymore, but we've known him more than anyone else. Even Kallen, you know, Zero's right-hand man who was a high schooler, has her suspicions."

"I've been thinking about that too." Another man wheeled his chair to face him. "I spoke to Kallen a few days ago and told her about what's been going on these days and she found that really weird. Some of the older members act like they don't know anything either. Zero doesn't give many orders anymore and when he does, they aren't any better than a military commander's."

"Hmm, true that. Is Zero really Zero?"

"Wait, I'm not done. Kallen didn't answer for a minute, so I think she was lying. She seems to know something we don't."

"Perhaps she does," a voice called as he walked into the room.

"Ah! Zero!" They stood up.

"Zero, I wanna explanation! You haven't been yourself lately! Are you sick or something?" Hoshida asked.

"_Dammit,"_ Suzaku thought. _"They've caught on!"_

"Perhaps I am different. But I just do not see the need to stress myself over six little terrorists that were caught the moment they came into this country."  
He left them frowning. _"I don't meet their expectations. If I can't be as intelligent as Lelouch was, their trust in me will crumble and they'll go bombing cities looking for him!"_

Zero entered the throne room and stood before their Queen. "Nunnally vi Britannia."

"Yes?" She asked.

The disabled, seventeen year old Queen smiled. She was once blind, but she could now see. And the first thing she had seen was the key to Damocles, a powerful object that could eject FLEIAs, a bomb even worse than a nuke. She could no longer walk, but she held such a gentle aura that no one could stand frowning near her.

"I'm afraid we must speak privately about this matter." He told her.

She nodded seriously and pressed the button on her floating wheelchair. The two went in a separate, camera-less room.

"What is it, Suzaku?"

He took off his helmet. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I need a break. People are getting suspicious about who Zero really is due to my lack of wisdom the first one once had. If Zero was assigned for a break, then maybe there would be more terrorists who won't accept the new Britannia. They can fight, and perhaps Zero could come to the rescue. Then the matter may be patched up a little."

She smiled. "Suzaku, you are not unintelligent. Look at the plan you have just created. It's wonderful. If the former Black Knights are suspicious about you, then I shall grant you this vacation. Somewhere not too far from here would be pleasant."

"Japan, formerly known as Area 11." He chose. "It's pretty far, but close at the same time. It would take about two hours from there to here. If Zero was too close, I'd hardly call it a miracle."

"Right, it would be more of a coincidence. What do you plan to do in Japan?" She asked.

"I plan to continue school." He smiled. It was the first smile in a whole year.

~코드기야스~

"Lelouch, you IDIOT!" C.C. exclaimed. "I told you to not-"

"The Geass didn't work on one girl. If I hadn't told her I wanted to register for the school, I wouldn't have gained her trust." Lelouch sighed.

C.C. shook her head. "This is wonderful. Now you're back where you started." Sarcasm dripped with every word.

"I got dorms and all that too. AND it's the same room." He muttered. He had not planned for this.

"Same teachers, same everything! They act like I'm 17 or something!"

"Didn't you write your birthday in the forums?"

"I had to use a fake birthday and they think I'm orphaned. I also destroyed Lelouch Lamperouge's files and the principal oblivious."

"Well at least that clears any suspicion."

"Yeah, but if any teachers recognize me, the Geass better work. I'll use it when I'm supposed to introduce myself too." He bit his thumb. It was a habit he only did when he was worried out of his mind, and when Nunnally was kidnapped, he had bitten his thumb then. But when the Black Knights were losing, he hadn't bitten his thumb. It was a little weird.

"Good luck then." C.C. muttered.

"Nuh-uh, _you're _my sister, Cecilia."

"_Cecilia?_"

"That's right. You skipped two grades and you're my older sister outta high school." He smirked. "Sorry, but it was the only way I could convince them to let you in the school. You'll live in a separate dorm, but it'll be so that you don't have to sneak in or hide in my room all the time."

"Great. That's just splendid. I'll go buy a wig and clothes now." She muttered sarcastically.

"Glad you're enthusiastic."


	2. Counterattack Two: Zero meets Zero

**Counterattack Two**

** -Zero meets Zero-**

April 1, 2019

"Class, please greet Lelouch Lightenrouge. He will be your new classmate." The teacher told them.

Murmurs filled the classroom.

"He looks like that roach of an emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia!"

"He even has the same first name as him!"

"Is he really…?"

The teacher looked at him. "Why, you look like my old student who turned out to be the worst kid on earth, Lelouch _Lamperouge_!"

"I get that a lot. Now…" he took off his contact lenses. "Remember, I am a new student. You don't know me very well yet."

A red shroud covered his eyes. "Alright then."

Lelouch did the same to the whole class. And the other class, and the class after that. Luckily, the two girls he had used his Geass on when Lelouch had chased a cat with his Zero mask had graduated.

But he didn't notice one person that was in every one of his classes. Cincere Tracy had not been affected by his Geass.

~코드기야스~

"Welcome to Ashford Academy, Kukai!" The class greeted.

"Thank you." He grinned.

"It's awesome how we got two new students all in one month!" A girl squealed. "And they're both boys!"

"Was there another student that came before I did?" He asked her.

"Yeah! Lelouch Lightenrouge! He skips classes sometimes, but that's usually because he's in a meeting or something like that." She replied. "I think he skipped this period. He's usually not there at P.E., but he's always there for his chess club!" She giggled. "He's pretty serious about that game!"

"_Lelouch…?!"_ He thought.

"Alright, thanks!" He waved to her goodbye and started looking for Lelouch.

"Cecilia, I told you, I'm not going to P.E.! I'm sick of trying to run around when I can't!" A voice complained behind the corner.

"Well then tell them you have problems breathing or something. If you aren't going to go, then she's going to force you." Another replied.

"Lelouch?" Kukai recognized the voice.

"Ms. Sayako!" He heard the first voice exclaim.

"Please get here before I get you." The voice seemed to smile.

"Gak!" The first voice began to run away, for he heard footsteps. He ran to the right, where Kukai was standing and crashed into him. "Sorry!"

Lelouch froze. Kukai froze. The whole world froze. For there stood the truth of each other, the truth where Lelouch would never be able to lie and run away from.

~코드기야스~

"Su-Su-Su-" Lelouch couldn't say it.

"Su?" He asked, playing dumb.

"Lelouch! Get back here!" The gym teacher began to run after them. She tripped over Lelouch and Kukai who had been sitting on the floor, rubbing their heads and staring at each other.

Swiftly, she caught herself by flipping with one hand and flipped back up.

Kukai had recognized the voice. For it had been Lelouch's sister, Nunnally vi Britannia's, nurse.

But Sayako was also a ninja for the Ashford family. She knew who Lelouch truly was. But she knew where her loyalties lay.

"Lelouch, you can't just skip the classes you don't like! It's for your own good."

"Hey, you know what they say! Brain beats muscle!" He grinned.

"For goodness sake, just run around a lot and stop being such an epic fail." The second voice he recognized said.

"_C.C.!"_ He thought.

"Can't I do it after school?" Lelouch sighed.

"After school is when you run away from school." Sayako told him.

"Aw come on! I swear I'll come after school!"

Sayako and Cecilia looked at each other. "You swear?"

"Pinky-pinky swears! If I don't, I'll eat a thousand needles!"

Kukai knew that too. Nunnally had taught Lelouch and himself that.

"Fine. But seriously, if you don't come, I shall shove a thousand needles down your throat." Sayako smiled.

"Aren't you being a little-WOAH!"

Sayako held poison needles to his face. "I don't lie."

She walked away with Cecilia at her side.

"You suck as a sister!" Lelouch called.

"I don't care." Cecilia told him.

~코드기야스~

"Suzaku." Was all Lelouch said once they got to the rooftop for privacy.

"Lelouch. Lying, deceitful Lelouch."

"I guess I should explain why I'm not dead." He sighed as he leaned on the railing.

"I would like that, you roach."

Lelouch smiled little. "Well, how should I put it? I'm immortal would be good."

Suzaku stared at him with cold eyes. "Liar. If you were to be immortal, you would've lost your Geass. And how would it be that you obtained a Code?"

"Ah, so you have been doing your research?" He smiled. "I don't know how, but I have a Code Geass."

"So where's the Code mark?"

"On my back." He replied.

"Lies."

"You really don't trust me, do you? After Charles was killed where the Sword of Aksha was, I obtained it. I didn't know until I took a shower." He chuckled.

"Why did you lie to me? To Nunnally? Everyone thinks you're dead. You promised me vengeance."

"Did you not have the satisfaction of stabbing a sword in my heart?" He chuckled again.

"SHUT UP! YOUR ATTITUDE IS PISSING ME OFF! YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO EXIST!"

"Which is why I disappeared." He replied. "I hoped to stay gone forever, but unfortunately, I had files to erase here. After I did so, one of the students who saw me had already been a victim of my Geass, so to gain her trust that I wasn't the emperor, I told her I wanted to register here as a student. I obtained the custody of the school and I can no longer leave without the Ashford family's permission. I had to erase their memories about Lelouch Lamperouge, but I couldn't order them to abandon me. They had made up records for me and I couldn't erase them in time." He shrugged. "So here I am."

Suzaku scowled.

"Oh, speaking of which, you aren't supposed to exist either, _Kukai._ Did you abandon Nunnally and your duties as Zero?"

"I'm not like you." He told him.

"You're right. Zero hasn't been himself lately, has he?"

"How did you-"

"It's all over the news now. Haven't you been watching the news? Millay's been reporting about Zero acting weird."

Suzaku turned away. "Nunnally knows I'm here. And the reason I'm here is because of that. Stop changing the subject. I still have questions."

"Questions?" Lelouch asked.

Suzaku nodded, the frown on his face never disappearing.

"Ask away."

"Why did you keep the name Lelouch? Doesn't it cause more suspicion?"

Lelouch remembered what C.C. had told him.

"Suzaku, why is the snow white?" He turned his head to the sky.

"Don't change the subject!"

"Tell me why."

Suzaku stared at him. "Because God has bestowed it!"

"Because it has forgotten its original color." Lelouch replied. "I barely have anything that resembles who I truly am. I wish to at least hold the name that I've trudged through and tainted with the hate of the world with me. I want to keep the burden."

"Why?"

"Because I believe I deserve it." He smiled a little. "Don't you?"

"Lelouch, you disgraceful little liar! Why can't you just disappear?!"

"I'm afraid I've tried all throughout the year. The only thing I can kill now is everything except me."

"LELOUCH, YOU NEED TO DIE!!!" Suzaku screamed as he pushed Lelouch off the roof.

As he fell, he laughed. "Don't bother! I won't die! I'm immortal!" He laughed all the way as he crashed onto the ground with a broken neck and arm.

~코드기야스~

A group of girls screamed at the sight.

"Hey, beat it. Forget that this ever happened." A voice emerged from the left.

"Huh? Oh, ok." They went on, chatting about the new fashion model that was kicked out from the industry because she gained 10 pounds in a month.

"Immortals shouldn't show off." The voice told him. Lelouch's vision had blurred and he couldn't interpret his surroundings. Whoever it was picked him up and was holding a stuffed rabbit toy. They spoke to the doll in a low murmur and began to walk on the sidewalk of the school.

"P-people will see me…" he muttered.

"Not with me here." They muttered back.

~코드기야스~

"Lelouch?! You dumbass, are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Cecilia roared.

"Don't you think I've tried enough to understand that I _can't_?" He smirked back.

Cecilia froze. "Are you still here?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry." A girl suddenly appeared in front of them. She held a bunny doll.

"Who are you?!"

"Me? I am Cincere Tracy, a student of Ashford Academy." She shrugged.

"You act as if being immortal were normal." C.C. challenged.

"It is. Well, to me it is." She replied, grasping the doll. "B-Rabbit says you are a Geass holder."

"B-Rabbit?"

"B-Rabbit." She held out the doll. "B-Rabbit also says both of you are immortal."

"Are you immortal?" Lelouch asked as C.C. bandaged his neck together.

"I dunno, am I, B-Rabbit?" She asked the doll.

They stared at her. "B-Rabbit says no. But if I keep this up, I will be."

"Keep what up?"

"Well, good day to you. I have to go feed the rabbits in the Health wing of the school." She ignored their question and waltzed away.

"Wait!" Lelouch called.

She stopped. "Hm?"

"The girls that saw me…"

"Lelouch! You were caught?!" C.C. exclaimed.

"The girlies won't say a word." She assured them.

"Why are you so sure?"

She cocked her head and leaned against B-Rabbit. "Because. In the end, something bad will happen if they break against my Geass."

The two watched her as she skipped away.

"G-Geass?!"


End file.
